Most Wasted Ingredients

Lettuce

We’ve all found that unhappy wilted mess of lettuce accidentily pushed to the back of the fridge. Lettuce’s limited shelf life means that we often don’t have all the time we need to use up a whole berg. These simple tips for storage and long life should help you make the most of this salad classic:

Store |

On the whole, lettuce does best stored in your vegie crisper. Wrap with a dampened paper towelling cloth and keep in a plastic bag in your crisper for longer life. Ideally, lettuce should be consumed within 3-5 days.

Keep lettuce away from the coldest part of the fridge. It’s high water content means it’s susceptible for freezing, which will result in soggy and wilted leaves when thawed.

Remember to keep lettuce visiable. As one of the more perishable vegetables in your fridge, keeping it in eyesight is key to making sure it’s used up before it becomes inedible.

And if you do find your lettuce beginning to wilt, try refreshing by submerging in ice-water for 10 minutes before using in cooking.

Cook |

Salads are the obvious option for reinventing your lettuce – toss with anything from tomatoes, carrots, cucumber and celery, to apple, orange segments, almonds and parmesan for any number of fresh incantations.

Sandwiches, wraps and melts are another lettuce classic – think BLTs – so reaching for the bread is a great idea when you have lettuce to spare.

Buy |

Look for lettuce with fresh, crisp looking leaves – avoid lettuce with leaves already starting to wilt, unless you’re planning to use it up immediately.

Fun Fact |

Ever wondered where ‘iceberg lettuces’ got their name? Californian traders used to ship the lettuces from place to place covered in crushed ice in the 1920s – and the name stuck.

Recipe Ideas |

Here are some convenient recipe ideas featuring delicious ways to use lettuce in your cooking: